Gone
by boiya
Summary: Yoh's dreams come true after he becomes Shaman King & he has a son with Anna named Hao. Yoh leaves this world & no one is effected more than his wife & son.
1. He's gone

Disclaimer: I don't own Shaman King so don't sue me since I wrote this fic that takes place in the future. Long after Yoh becomes Shaman King and finally has to leave this world. I will not be responsible for any sudden bursts of tears that this fic may cause or the up and down feelings that you may experience from reading this. The timeline is based off the anime though some things from the manga are used to explain what wasn't explained by the anime.

Chapter 1 – He's gone

Anna stared at the picture that sat on the table. He continued to look back at her. They seemed to be in a staring contest it seemed, but it didn't change the fact that her expression was sad and the person in the picture's expression was happy. He was smiling at her. That day had finally come, the day that she had to say her goodbyes to her husband, Asakura Yoh. They had been married for over twenty years. They had gotten married at the age of 18. Yoh had insisted that they get married soon after they had graduated from high school since he had already become Shaman King earlier on. Their life together had just really begun.

The events in the past had been left behind them. The Shaman Fight had ended with Yoh being victorious. They had celebrated and treated Yoh as if he were a god after that final battle. In the end, Yoh had kept his promise to become Shaman King and with the help of the Great Spirit. He made his friend's dreams come true. He saved the world from Lago. True to its history of course, the star made its way back toward the Earth intent on destroying it this time. He had stepped forward and easily destroyed the star completely. In all the course of history, the star had never been completely destroyed. only knocked off course for another 500 years for it only to return heading toward the Earth yet again. Man could only blame gravity for pulling it toward the green and blue planet. Frustration had built up inside of him after he had unwillingly taken his twin's life. Soon after, Yoh's training had changed from training as a Shaman into becoming a hot springs inn host and into helping Anna manage the inn.

Manta inherited his family's electric company and soon began to work for them though he always had time to visit Yoh and the household that resided there. He didn't have much of an opinion when it came to Anna making him work at the inn from time to when they needed extra staff during busy seasons. He had been all too grateful to help out because Yoh was usually working too so he was able to hang out with his best friend at those times.

The Tao family's name was pardoned and they were recognized in history books for the deeds that they had done secretly in the past in the name of justice. They became a new legend, not a legend of assassins, but a legend of loyal justice for the Chinese empire. Ren's ancestors had been put to rest and their lost souls accepted the outcome of the Shaman Fight. Ren didn't become Shaman King like they had hoped, but he matured to become a powerful and wise Shaman. He returned to China where the Tao family belonged so that he could instruct the young and powerful Shamans from China that would one day make their way to America.

Horohoro returned to Hokaido with his sister and returned to working in their clotsfoot and butterbar fields. A document soon appeared with the signatures of an authorizing government of Japan that the fields in the Ainu tribe's area would no longer be used for its resources since an ancient tribe of spirits inhabited the area. He spent the rest of his years tending to the fields and overlooking the well being of the spirits as they were no longer in danger of becoming extinct.

Faust and Eliza remained in Tokyo. They bought a place nearby to the hot springs that Anna ran. Faust became the doctor of the hot springs, but also ran another small health clinic in town for the less fortunate that couldn't afford to go anywhere else. With the money that they made from working at Anna's five star inn hot springs. They were able to run the clinic with no problems. Faust never found a way to resurrect his wife, but he was able to keep her spirit beside him without the help of Anna. He was happy for everything that Yoh and Anna had done for them. They didn't stray to far from the other couple since they felt that they owed everything to them and how happy Faust was able to be with his wife again.

Chocolove returned to America to become a comedian. He didn't do too well on his own until he met someone. She soon became his partner in comedy and the two married. She began to arrange all their acts and came up with most of the material that they would use in their acts. They became a hit and were not only loved in the US, but in Japan also. With their frequent visits to Japan, they would come and stay in Anna's inn drawing even more customers for her because she would always force them to perform if they wanted to stay at her inn. They had no choice, but to agree to her terms because they also learned to fear Anna's piercing gaze and commanding tone.

Tamao remained at the main Asakura household in Izumo and worked for the Japanese government as a fortuneteller. She would leave from time to time to travel around due to work, but mainly spent allot of time on the residence as she helped to recruit other Shamans into coming to train under the tutorage of the Asakura family. There had been already enough publicity due to the fact that Asakura Yoh had become Shaman King and saved the world. His name echoed throughout everyone Shaman's household. The hallways of the Asakura residence soon were filled with the laughter of young Shamans as they trained in hopes that one day they would have the opportunity to become Shaman King and make all their dreams come true.

Lyserg followed in the footsteps of his family and became a famous detective. After he finished college and earned his degree, he attended seminars all over the world and traveled all over to solve all kinds of cases. He also frequently visited Japan to stop in at Anna's inn. She always put him in the best rooms to get the most money out of him since she knew that he could afford. He never complained and recommended the place to his various colleagues that he met around the world. It also helped to spread the popularity of her inn.

Bokuto no Ryu resided at the inn though he would disappear for long periods of time, but he became the hot springs accountant. Anna paid for him to attend school and get his degree so that he could help run the inn. Ryu had soon learned that it was his best place and that he wished to remain near his master and mistress. He wanted to be able to watch over them and make sure they continued to be safe even after marriage. His free spirit continued to run the roads to various places all over Japan, but he would always return to the inn eventually. He also helped when Anna became pregnant and had Yoh's son, Hao. Ryu acted as the nanny.

Yoh had decided the name of his and Anna's son. After the final battle between Yoh and Hao, it continued to bother Yoh throughout the years that he had been forced to kill his own brother. He had many regrets on not knowing sooner who Hao was and that he had a twin brother. He soon began to believe that if he had known sooner. He could have done something to avoid it all and win Hao over to his side. He never saw Hao again. When their child had been born, Anna had left it up to Yoh to decide on the name of the baby boy.

The moment that Yoh held the child in his arms, they smiled at one another and he knew instantly that he would name the child after his brother, after Hao. He wanted to bring an end to the hatred that existed in his family toward his brother. He wanted the fear to go away because it was that fear that had started it all. There was no trust and only mistakes when it came to the name of Asakura. He didn't want it to be that way with his and Anna's child. He wanted his son to be able to grow up in a world that would accept him for being himself and not hate him for what he was, a Shaman. He would never force his beliefs on his son though he would help Anna to train the boy, but if their son chooses that he doesn't want to learn to fight as a Shaman. Then so be it.

Their wedding had turned out to be grand. Everyone had shown up and dragged along various acquaintances with them that the couple had soon been introduced to if they hadn't known them already. Gifts had filled the halls of the ancient Asakura household as their wedding had been held on the Asakura's grounds since it had the most open space for the event. Spirits had also graced the grounds with their presence for the event as they cheered the two on their happy day. She could remember that day as if it just happened yesterday.

Yoh stood up at the front of everyone in the kimono that had been passed down among his family for centuries. Both his father and his grandfather had been married in it previously so it only seemed proper that he marry in it also or so that is what his family had insisted. It didn't bother him in the least bit to wear some old kimono that was being passed down through his family amongst the males.

The same had happened to Anna. Anna had been unsure of what to wear for the wedding since she had lost her family long ago and the Asakura's had taken her in or more so it had been Itako Kino. Kino, Yoh's grandmother and Anna's teacher gave her the kimono that she had married in. It was a tradition that Kino wanted to start on the female side of the family to show their strength over the male Asakura's since the males had already started it to begin with. Anna had graciously accepted the outfit and wore it that day.

All eyes were on her that day as she walked down the isle with Mikihisa, but she didn't seem to notice them all staring at her as the eyes of one dark eyed man followed her every step. His gaze had been so intent on her that she thought she might do something to make a fool of herself on such a special day, but she knew that it wasn't in her to cause such mistakes. She took a deep breath and slowly let it out as she drew closer to the man she was about to marry. That day had finally come, that moment as she took his hand and came to stand beside him. Yoh smiled so sheepishly for her that she wanted to knock the grin right off his stupid face, but felt that in the past five years that they had spent together after his battle with Hao. Yoh hadn't changed one bit even after he had become the Shaman King and gave up the powers after making everyone's dreams come true.

His own dream had been realized as he watched all his friends become happy with their own dreams. They each went their own way in the end, but that didn't stop them all from continuing to be friends. He silently watched over them all for as long as the Great Spirit's powers remained in him, but as time passed. The powers eventually faded and he returned to using his own Shamanic powers much to the regret of Anna. His cooking and various other activities had improved with his newfound powers. When the powers disappeared, he returned to being the same old Yoh again. The choice had been his alone and all he wanted was to live his easy life with everyone while listening to good music. His dream was an easy thing to grant for him because he was already living that kind of life. The only things that remained undone was marrying his fiancée and finishing high school.

Those moments came to pass and here she sat as she reminisced about the past. It had only been a couple of days ago that she had last seen him. He had cheerfully kissed her on the cheek and said that he had a present for her, but she wouldn't get it until later that day. If they had been younger, she would have slapped him for kissing her, but after the marriage. Things had changed between the two of them. They became closer and developed a familiar sense of touch when being around the other. She didn't try to push him away anymore whenever he would try to show affection toward her and he was open with his feelings to her instead of just hiding everything behind that stupid grin of his that she had put up with for so many years. He had even confessed that he loved her and whenever they were alone. He never forgot to remind her time and again of just how much he loved her. He was gone now and she couldn't feel his heartbeat next to hers anymore. It was a rhythm that she had become accustomed to and even now, she missed him.

'He's gone.' She silently let herself admit it, that her husband, the man that she loved with all her heart, Asukara Yoh was dead.


	2. Dinner

Disclaimer:  I don't own Shaman King so don't sue me since I wrote this fic that takes place in the future.  A long, long time after Yoh becomes Shaman King and leaves finally leaves this world.  

Chapter 2 - Dinner

"Okaasan, how are you holding up?"  Hao looked at his mother and though she looked like she did on any other day.  He could tell that this was all really hurting her deep down inside.  The father that he loved so much was now gone and his mother had lost the love of her life.  There had been many times when things would happen between his parents that would make him question if they really were man and wife with the way his mother ran over his father, but he knew deep down that the two really loved one another.  

Yoh would tell Anna that he was taking Hao out to train.  When in secret, the two were just running away so that they wouldn't have to train under her watchful eye.  They would disappear for days, leaving her at home to worry over the two, but too busy with the inn to complain.  He would take his son all over the world with him as he traveled to go visit his friends.  His son was always greeted with a warm smile and a big hug by all of his aunts and uncles.  He also learned from them all.  Not just their languages and about their cultures, but also about their different Shamanic powers and just how proficient he was in learning the techniques.  

Later when they had revealed the truth to her that they were just trying to get out of training.  She had merely countered that though Yoh wasn't teaching their son like he was suppose to and due to his laziness, their friends were and Hao was indeed learning.   She didn't find any reason to punish the two for running off though she was content with glaring at Yoh and causing him to be uneasy under her firm gaze.  She was glad that she didn't punish the two of them, mainly just Yoh, but it wasn't anything that he couldn't handle and wasn't used to.  

Anna glanced up, being pulled out from her own lost thoughts as she remembered the past.  Her son stood near by, the son that she had with Yoh.  

"Ah, Hao.  Did you say something?"  He smiled at his mother, but she didn't return the smile as his heartstrings were being pulled as he looked at his mother.  He was good at hiding his emotions from his mother as his father often did, but somehow she had always been able to read both of them especially when they really needed to be read.  

"Are you hungry?  I'll have dinner finished in a little bit."  She nodded faintly, scarcely acknowledging what he had said.  His smile faded as he walked over to the door and paused to glance back at his mother.  He sighed, as she was lost in her own thoughts again, no doubt lost in the past.  She hadn't cried at the funeral and for all he knew, she hadn't cried at all.  He couldn't understand why his mother refused to openly mourn for his father and since his father was no longer around to cook.  It fell onto him to provide for his mother.  

She didn't really need anyone to cook for her, much less look after her, but he knew that she felt more comfortable when someone else was around to do her bidding.  It was different matter whenever her son was around since he didn't need her to tell him what to do.  He could read his mother like an open book since he had spent his whole life with her and had seen his father tend to her every beck and call, but no one could understand her the way his father had.  It was times like this that he wished he were still a child and his parent's friends would come to pay visits.  They had all become his aunts and uncles in the end.  It was times like this that he could remember what it was like for them to stop by and hang out with them, how happy everyone seemed at those times, even his mother.  Yoh's death had affected everyone in one-way or another.  The young man wanted things to be like they use to and wished that his favorite uncle would be there since he hadn't seen much of him at the funeral.  

Lyserg had arrived at the funeral late and had left early having an appointment that he couldn't miss though no one questioned the sadness that was in Shaman dowser's eyes as he stood off to the side during the funeral of his friend.  Yoh had made his dreams come true when he killed Hao and though he didn't have any living relatives.  Yoh had taken him into his own family and circle of friends, allowing him to be a close friend of Yoh and Anna's son.  Hao couldn't change the fact that he had grown up with his parent's friends and treated them like family.  He was preparing a European dish that Lyserg had taught him and the green haired Shaman had learned from his mother before she died.  He could clearly remember that day that his uncle had come to pay a visit.  It was like any other day in his family's house when a visitor had come to call.  

Lyserg carried the small travel bag in his hand as he walked up to the front door of the inn.  Nothing much had changed from the outside from what he could tell since his last visit as he knocked on the door and waited.  It took a minute and the door finally slid open.  

"Welcome to the Funibari Hot Springs Inn."  Greeted a dark haired man almost too cheerfully with his eyes closed.  

"Yoh-kun."  The man's smile broadened as he saw the familiar face at his front door.  

"Lyserg!  Come in, come in."  He motioned for him to come inside.  

"How's married life treating you?"  Yoh laughed nervously as the two made their way into the house and into the sitting room.  

"Don't ask."  Just then a little blonde boy with unruly hair sprinted into the room.  

"Uncle Lyserg!"  The boy shouted and launched himself into his uncle's arms.  The boy could hear through the walls of the inn and had heard someone mention the name of his uncle.  Lyserg didn't waste any time as he caught the boy and scooped him up into a big hug.  The two giggled together as Yoh grinned at the picture.  He had believed that Lyserg wouldn't have approved when he had chosen to name his son after his brother, but Lyserg hadn't held anything against the boy that had the hair of his mother and the look of his father.  Hao had the eyes of his father, the same eyes of his twin, and Yoh's sheepish grin.  Lyserg was his favorite uncle and often visited whenever he was in town.  He would share his stories of all the adventures that he had been on and the boy would stare in awe at his uncle.  They had even told the boy the truth about his real blood related uncle that he was named after.  The boy had been shocked and asked many questions that no one could answer because the only person that knew that answer as to why Asakura Hao had killed so many people was him, but he was now dead, killed by his own brother.  

Hao hadn't known how to take it when he found out the news that his own father could take the life of another human.  Even when his parents had told him the truth about how Hao had killed Lyserg's parents, he still couldn't see how his kind hearted and carefree father would do such a thing to his own brother.  When he had questioned his mother about the incident, she had stated that it had to be done and there was no other way.  She refused to go more into details on the incident and it had left the boy confused to the matters between his real uncle and father.  

He had seen pictures of Hao in the history books and when he was old enough.  He was exposed to the Chou Senji Ryakketsu to learn his blood related uncle's techniques and way of life.  The experience had been like nothing he had ever known before.  He had spent countless hours training with his various aunts and uncles, but he hadn't known at the time what he was really doing as he learned each technique.  To the boy, he believed it had all been just one big game and always liked it when he would shock his uncles or aunts by mimicking their powers with his own so easily.  Little had they known that the boy had the competence to master all of their techniques.  He was indeed a true descendant of Asakura Hao.  At least, that is what everyone would say to him, but not his father.  

Yoh would tell him that he is his and Anna's son.  His father was always up to sharing various stories of other people even Anna's own battles, the powerful Itako that had defeated Asakura Hao's shikigamis so easily and controlled them as if it were a simple task that any Shaman could do.  No one told the boy that the shikigamis' original master had taken them back and used them against everyone.  Some things were just kept hidden from the boy and from the stories so that it was suitable, but as he grew older.  More and more parts were added into the stories, the truth was made open to him and though not all the details were included.  He would find out soon or later.  

Hao tasted the food and turned off the heat on the stove.  Dinner was done and it turned out being delicious.  He hoped that it would cheer his mother up since his father used to make the dish to cheer her up at times cause he knew that she liked it so much.  He finished setting the table and went to get his mother.  

The creaking of the floorboards drew her out of her thoughts.  The sound was growing nearer; it was the sound of someone's footsteps.  It sounded familiar, from a long time ago, as if they belonged to him, as if Yoh was coming home from training.  For a moment she felt that she was a teenager again and that any moment now.  Yoh would walk in through the door, grinning as if he didn't have a care in the world, sweat dripping from his brow.  He would smile at her as he went to get cleaned up to begin making dinner.  She would tell him to make something good and he would assure her that it would be good though in the end the food would be lacking.  She would scold him and he would smile, apologizing.  

Hao appeared in the doorway and her gaze settled on him.  "Its time for dinner."  She blinked as his voice reached her.  It wasn't Yoh's voice, but their sons.  He was no longer there and she would never be able to eat another terrible meal made by him again.  She slowly rose and headed to the kitchen, feeling the need to cry again yet unable to find the tears.  She wanted to remain strong for Yoh and act as the wife of the Shaman King would by not shedding tears.  


	3. Goodbye

Disclaimer:  I don't own Shaman King so don't sue me since I wrote this fic that takes place in the future.  A long, long time after Yoh becomes Shaman King and leaves finally leaves this world.  

Chapter 3 – Goodbye

Anna looked down at the food before her, but she couldn't see it.  Everything for her had taken on a different shape, nothing was as it was before and not even the food tasted the same.  She raised the chopsticks to her mouth, taking a bite, but she couldn't taste it.  The flavor was foreign though anyone else would say that it was delicious, but for her.  It wasn't his terrible cooking.  Her mind was elsewhere.  It was back on that day, the day she had said goodbye as she sat there.  There on the cold, hard seat of the church that seemed too crowded.  

Her cold, dull gaze centered on the proceedings at the front as the funeral carried on.  One by one, person after person came to the front to say a few words about their friend, Asakura Yoh.  She never moved to go to the front and as the funeral grew to an end all eyes fell on her waiting.  Even at that time, she was lost in her own thoughts as her son sat next to her.  Since the moment the news had been given to her that he was dead, her mind refused to exist in the present and returned to the past.  Her mind continued to drift even at that moment as they sat in the row of the church, seeming on a journey of it's own through the past, to a time, a time when he was still there.  

"Anna!"  Anna sat up and looked toward the door as an 18-year-old Yoh ran into the room.  

"Hm?"  He ran over to her and grabbed her arm, pulling her up onto her feet.  "Yoh!"  She glared at him as he begun to drag her toward the front door.  

"Come with me."  He explained as he slipped her shoes on for her first and then his own.  He grabbed her hand and ran out the door.  "I have something to show you."  He called over his shoulder as he led the way.  He didn't slow down his pace for her as he hurried.  She was left holding on tight to his hand so that she could keep up with his pace.  

It was dark already outside and the stars had long ago come out.  They finally reached a steep road and hurried toward the top.  She knew where they were heading, it was the cemetery, the cemetery that Amidamaru's gravestone sat and it was Yoh's favorite spot to go stargazing.  She glared daggers into his back in hopes that he hadn't brought her there tonight just to look at the stars.  He came to a stop beside the tree and quickly sat down, pulling her down with him.  They sat there in silence as they caught their breath.  The only sound was their ragged breathing.  When she finally was able to breath normally, she turned to look at him.  He was still breathing hard and when he noticed that she was looking at him.  He smiled.  

"Why am I here Yoh?"  She wasn't meaning for it to come out sounding quite so harsh, but for some unknown reason a blush crept into Yoh's cheeks.  

"A-ah!"  He quickly looked away and took a couple of more breaths before turning back to look at her.  "Here."  He reached around and placed his hand onto her shoulder, pulling her head close to his chest.  She tried to push away from him to ask what the hell he was doing when his hand came to rest against the side of her head, his fingers lightly brushing against her ear.  "Can you hear?"  He smiled down at her though she couldn't see his smile.  At first she didn't understand what he was talking about and then she heard it.  A faint sound that grew louder as she quietly listened.  The pounding in her ear was his heartbeat, the rhythm strong.  She had heard it a few times before and was becoming familiar.  

On the night before Yoh had left to go to American for the second round of the Shaman Fight.  She had laid next to him on the same futon and though he had slept.  She could hear it clearly and loudly.  It was the same thing that she was listening to now.  She allowed herself to listen for a moment longer and than pushed away, setting some distance between herself and him.  He continued to smile at her as she looked away.  He was always acting more open and freely with her as the years passed.  It didn't bother him if they were around others or were alone.  The odd stares that he received from others for doing things like holding her hand were enough to make her want to kill them for looking at Yoh as if he didn't know what he was doing.  His fear toward her over the years was turning into something else and she found herself not pushing him away all the time.  In that next moment, she didn't know what had happened.  

"Anna?"  She turned to look at him with her cold eyes.  He was kneeled down beside her now and in his clasped hands was an object.  It was like a scene that she had seen in one of her soap operas on TV and she was too surprised to even begin to think that there could be a possibility that she was dreaming.  "Anna."  He grinned, his eyes on her, as he lifted one of his hands off from the object to show a little black velvet box.  It was the one used to hold most jewelry in, mainly rings.  

"Yoh.."  He chuckled softly as he knew that she knew what was going to happen next.  

"Will you marry me?"  He opened the box to reveal a single band inside of the box with a diamond placed in its center.  She stared at the ring for a couple of moments as he waited for the answer.  When no answer came, he began to sweat.  "Anna?"  She leaned in closer and inspected the diamond.  

"Is it real?"  Yoh almost feel over.  

"Of course!"  He took the ring of the box as he quickly grabbed her left hand and slid the ring onto her ring finger.  

"I haven't said yes."  He sighed.  

"Its real, trust me.  And you already said yes."  

"When'd I say yes?"  She continued to inspect the ring on her finger, appraising the value of the diamond and looking for faults in it.  

"I could tell by the look in your eyes."  She looked up from the ring to glare at him, but he was laughing.  

"Yes."  He stopped laughing.  

"E-eh?"  She looked off to the side as if there was something of interest over there.  

"I said yes, I'd marry you."  His jaw dropped in surprise.  He hadn't expected that, that she would admit to wanting to marry him.  She turned to look at him to see his jaw gapping.  Her eyes squinted and her fist began to rise.  He noticed the fist rising into the air and recovered, closing his mouth.  

"Ah."  He chuckled.  "School is coming to an end so I figured we'd set a date soon."  

"A date?"  She dropped the fist.   

"I'd say…"  He paused as he scratched his cheek with his finger as he thought.  "In a month or two from now."

"A month or two!  That's so soon Yoh.  Weddings take time to plan."

"But we can do it!  We can do it..", he took her ringed hand into his, "together."  She stared into his dark eyes and could clearly read the excitement of the whole idea there.  She slowly nodded.  

"Alright."  He jumped up and started to dance around stupid and silly like.  "Yoh?"  He paused in the middle of shaking his booty to look at her.  "Your not going to dance like that at the wedding, are you?"  

"Eh?"  And it all came to an end.  She could see the coffin sitting at the front of the church.  

Hao slowly stood up and offered his arm to his mother.  She released a pent up sigh and finally stood, taking his arm.  He led her up to the front and turned to look at everyone that was gathered in the church rows.  Off to the side stood Jeanne and Marco, former members of the X-Laws, as they waited.  

Hao's mind reeled as he tried to find the words to express his feelings for his father, of all the good and bad times that they had together, but no mere words could explain how he was feeling or the bond that he shared with his father.  Asakura Yoh had been the most important person to him.  He was a daddy's boy.  His father had saved him from endless days of hard training that his mother had wanted to put him through merely for the sake that he was a Shaman.  

He had known that he would never have the chance that his father had of competing in the Shaman Fight and becoming Shaman King.  He had been left to fight against members of his family and friends all for the cause of learning what it was like to be a Shaman.  His father shared many stories of his own past and of the history of the man that he had named his son after.  Countless stories of the original Asakura Hao had been told to him to the point that those stories had become his favorite bedtime stories or just stories to pass the time with.  His mother had always given him death glares when he would ask for her to tell him something about his father's twin and others had refused to talk about the twin that caused so much trouble and pain for them, but Yoh had always been up to telling stories and the various battles that he had with his older brother.  He knew that he would no longer be able to hear stories like that anymore.  His father was the only one that would ever tell him anything and everything.  He now was laid to rest and had gone to join his twin, his other half.  

Hao tried to speak, but his voice cracked as a single tear fell down his cheek.  There was no shame in crying.  Yoh had told him that as they cried together when Anna would scold them for doing something wrong or that she didn't approve of.  

Anna finally looked up from her musing of the past and stared out at everyone that frequented the rows of seats.  Friends and family were gathered there, but she searched the faces looking for one in particular that she knew she wouldn't find.  It was the face of the one that meant so much to her, but he was no longer there.  There were no words that she wanted to share with everyone.  They already knew.  When it came to Yoh and his family and friends.  No words were needed because no words could truly explain Asakura Yoh.  His individual personality was like nothing else that any of them had ever known and he had played an important role in each one of their lives, but not more than the role he had played in her life.  He was her protector though it never appeared that she would ever need one, but everyone didn't know the past that the two shared together.  The various things that they had gone through together and what it took for them to establish a place for themselves, for a place that they could call home and raise a family.  

She had never been a part of his original dream of one day becoming Shaman King and living an easy life while listening to good music.  Girls had seemed nonexistent to him when his grandfather had first told him about the Shaman King.  He had always known that his place wasn't among the Asakura clan and that he would not continue in his family's footsteps.  Even with all the constant training that he had done with his grandfather had never seemed to be enough to make him stronger, to make him push hard enough to become more powerful so that he could become Shaman King.  Everything had changed when the Itako first appeared, when Anna had appeared.  His life took on a whole new different direction and yet it continued down its steady course of becoming Shaman King, but he was no responsible for someone.  Someone that he became accustomed to having around to tell him what to do and at times though he didn't find it much to his liking.  She was always there and he drew strength off from that alone.  With that strength he was able to become Shaman King, to survive a marriage with her and to even be there to watch as their son came into the world, but it all came to an end.  

She placed a steady hand on her son's arm and another tear landed on her hand this time, but it wasn't her own.  She didn't say anything as Hao looked at his mother as he continued to cry.  Words were never needed within their family because the bond that existed in their kin was an open-minded understanding and strict love for one another.  Both heavily influenced by a demanding mother and a lazy father.  She dropped her hand and made her way back to her seat in the isle.  

If anyone saw the slight trembling of her knees as she walked, no one said anything as she calmly sat down before her legs had a chance to give out from under her.  The young man followed his mother back to their seats, but he continued to cry.  Not just for himself, but for his mother.  He knew that inside she really was crying.  

The funeral finally grew to an end and everyone went to stand around outside.  They were talking in hushed tones and whispered amongst themselves.  The day had truly been a sad event for all of them as they had finally said their farewells.  There was a moment for all of them to take a quick break from the days long and sad events.  The body wouldn't be taken to the gravesite for another hour as things continued to unfold accordingly to the days proceedings.  

The moment she reached the door and walked outside, a hushed atmosphere descended upon all those that gathered there.  All eyes once again feel on her as she walked out of the church doors.  Chocolove was the first one for her to reach, but she didn't seem to notice who it was as he emotionless eyes center on just getting out of there.  He didn't try to crack any lame jokes, but bowed his head instead to pay his respects for her loss.  As she passed by everyone, they all caught on and bowed their heads.  No words were need to be said to the Itako that they feared yet greatly respected and what had to be said had been said on the day that she had lost something precious to her, precious to them all, a loved one, a friend.    

Anna slowly stood, trying once again to leave the events of that day behind her.  "It's getting late and I have something to do."  She left the room and went to the front door.  Hao didn't need to ask her where she was going because he already knew.  Every since the day that they had laid his father's body into the ground and put up the tomb on the holy soil.  His mother had gone to visit him everyday and yet he couldn't find the courage to visit his father since the day of his funeral because he would have to tell him.  He would have to tell his father about the visitor that had come to see him that day.  


	4. Visitor

Disclaimer:  I don't own Shaman King so don't sue me since I wrote this fic that takes place in the future.  A long, long time after Yoh becomes Shaman King and finally leaves this world.  

Chapter 4 - Visitor

Hao turned around and saw a lone figure standing in the back of the church.  Everyone had already left, but he had stayed with his father until the end.  He wanted to be with him just a little bit longer than anyone else since they had always been together.  His mother had given her excuses and left.  Though she hadn't said it directly, she didn't want to display her fragile feelings in front of all of their friends and family.  It was something they were all use to.  She had never truly been able to fit in among them all, but she had found her place with her family.  She had found her place with Yoh and their son, Hao.  

As she walked out the church, everyone bowed their heads as she left because they knew no matter how much they grieved for their friend.  Her pain was deeper because they all knew how much they had loved each other.  Yoh had been able to put up with her all those years even when she was pregnant and they knew that it had to be love to live with something like that.  

"Can I help you?"  Hao stared at the man in the back.  He was dressed in street clothes and wore a cap on his head.  His hair was pulled back into a ponytail and the cap kept his eyes covers.  Jewelry garlanded the man's body with necklaces draped across his neck, rings that adorned his fingers and two large earrings dangled from his ears.  The stars gave off a reflective look as he walked up to the front of the church and past the young man.  

"I've come to pay my respects."  Answered the stranger as he made his way up to the closed coffin that seated Yoh's cheerful picture on top of it.  It made it look as if Yoh was smiling at the stranger.  

"You knew my father?"  The stranger's eyes continued to be hidden by the bill of the cap and Hao was unable to tell who the stranger was with his long dark brown hair.  

"A long time ago."  Hao stared at the man for several minutes and couldn't remember his parents mentioning someone similar to the man that stood only a few feet away from him.  

"Who are you?"  The stranger reached out his hand and touched the coffin, resting the tip of his fingers against the closed coffin.  

"A forgotten memory."  The stranger's words confused the young man as he tried to realize who it was that stood before him.  Hao's eyes grazed over the stranger and came to rest on the hand that was touching the coffin.  One of the rings caught his eye.  It was silver and shaped in the image of a one-block lego, but it wasn't the design that caused it to catch his eye.  It was the tiny letters that were etched into the little lego.  Three tiny dark letters spelled out HAO.  Understanding dawned upon the young man as the older one turned slightly to look at him, finally showing him his dark eyes.  Their gazes rest on one another and the same dark eyes gazed at one another.  Hao knew instantly that the stranger was the person that he had been named after.  It was Asakura Hao.  

"But I was told that you were dead."  Yoh's twin smiled at his nephew causing the young man to have mixed emotions.  The smile was like his father's to the point that it disturbed him and yet it was a stranger's smile that he was unaccustomed to, but it was the same smile that he saw whenever he looked in the mirror.  

"I exist at all times.  Not even him.."  The twin's smile faded as he turned back to look at the box that contained his younger half.  "Not even Yoh could change that."  

The events that had all lead up to that moment and the words that his uncle shared with him were things that he wished to keep from both his mother and from his father.  For the very first time he had been exposed to someone that had been very much like him.  

Often at times while growing up the young Shaman would be picked on, only for someone else to step in and save him from his assailant.  His experience with Asakura Hao's Chou Senji Ryakketsu had been the greatest moment of his life, for not only did he become more powerful.  He had been exposed to his real uncle when he had existed in his original form and his ideals had greatly influenced the young man that had been named after him, but his parents' teachings continued to greatly influence him and he always remained close to their side.  If they had noticed a change in their son, no one said anything as his abilities grew limitlessly.  

The things that his uncle had shared with him in both of their meetings, within the book and at the funeral, bothered him.  It made him wonder about the things that he had been taught and what he was raised to believe in.  He believed in his father to the end, but after Yoh's death.  His son began to wonder just how right his father really was because he was dead and for his twin to appear alive again.  Who really was the more powerful Shaman?  Who was right in the end?  

Anna brushed away the leaves that had scattered across the base of the grave and bathed the tombstone with the water she had brought in the bucket.  She kneeled and prayed.  

"Yoh… you idiot… why did you have to leave me so soon?"  She reached out a trembling hand and placed it against the cold stone.  He had always been there for her, there to protect her, to keep her safe and so she wouldn't be alone anymore.  "Yoh…"  She wrapped her arms around the tombstone and embraced it as if would somehow bring back the one she loved so much.  As if she could just hold onto the piece of concrete and somehow it would bring him back.  

She was an Itako, a spirit caller, but she couldn't bring herself to use her own powers on him.  He was gone.  His spirit passed over to the other world leaving them all behind, mainly her.  She would have thought that he would remain behind for her at least, but little did she know that Yoh had known what he was doing.  There was no need for him to stay in this world any longer either as a Shaman or as a spirit.  She wasn't alone because she had their son who was way smarter than he ever was and a much better cook.  

"Anna."  Her eyes widened at the sound of her name and yet she knew that no one was there.  If someone had been there she would have sensed him or her instantly.  Though she was older, her powers had never become dull and with her self-training.  She had become an even more powerful Itako with what she had learned by not only training Yoh, but also in training their son.  She couldn't believed her own ears, the wind was playing tricks with her, rustling her unruly blonde hair as an assortment of noises continued around her, as if someone were trying to caress her cheek.  

"Yoh."  She said his named out instantly.  Though no visible form of his spirit appeared before her.  She knew that it had to be him.  No one else had ever dared to touch her in such a way, but the twins had.  Asakura Hao had once laid hands on her, but she had made him think twice before doing it again.  Yoh had learned at any early age what the price of touching her was, but it was a price that he willingly paid each time.  

"Watch out for Hao."  The words were a mere whisper, buried by the sound of the wind as its speed continued to increase.  She looked up to the sky in hopes that she would see at least some fleeting image of him, that Yoh had been there if not only for a second to see her again, but his spirit wasn't returning and for all she knew.  It had all been a figment of her imagination.  She was tired with the play of recent events and her loss continued to weight her down heavily.  She was going through the hardest time of her life and for the first time.  Yoh wasn't there to help her.  

Hao looked out the window and noticed the gathering dark clouds in the sky.  "It's going to rain soon."  He went around the inn and closed most of the opened doors and windows.  He would go outside soon and bring his mother back in before the sky would have a chance to open up, allowing the first drops to pour down.  He had already lost his father.  He wasn't about to let his mother get sick and lose her too.  He stepped outside and noticed the change in the atmosphere; the wind seemed to be blowing harder than usual.  Was a storm coming?  There was an ominous feeling in the air as he went to get his mother.  The sky was beginning to darken and the rain would soon start pouring.  Wordlessly, he brought his mother back inside and together they waited in the safety of the home that Yoh had made for them as they waited for the heavens to open and unleash the storm that was coming.  

A/N:  That's the end, for this fic anyways.  I might start some new fic as a continuation for this cause this fic ended up having a lot of possibilities, but I'd prefer for it to just end here.  If enough people bug me about it though I'll probably continue with a new fic one of these days.  XD  This was all just a short idea that I had and thought was pretty interesting.  I didn't mean to make it so angst; it just turned out that way.  ^^;  Sorry if I made anyone cry.  Here's a bunch of questions that I'm just going to leave unfinished or maybe not.  Not sure.   *shrugs *

What did Hao say to young Hao when he first went into Chou Senji Ryakketsu?  Does Hao say the same thing to everyone that goes to increase his or her powers through him or does he say something differently to each person?  What did Hao say to young Hao at Yoh's funeral?  Why did Hao remain dead to everyone and suddenly reappear only to young Hao at Yoh's funeral?  What did the voice mean when it told Anna to "Watch out for Hao."  Was it young Hao the voice was talking about or the original Hao?  Was the voice that visited Anna even really Yoh or was it someone or something else?  Is Anna perhaps going crazy because of Yoh's death?  Or has young Hao also snapped?  What is this bad feeling that young Hao is having about the coming storm?  Is it a normal storm or something completely else?  

I'll leave it at that for now.  XP  Tell me what you think???  


	5. Return of

Disclaimer: I don't own Shaman King so please don't sue me. I will not be responsible for any sudden bursts of tears that this fic may cause or the up and down feelings that you may experience from reading this. I've based this off the anime series with hints of the earlier manga and drama cds. This fic came out before it was revealed that Yoh and Anna had a son named Hana. So there, mine came first. :P This fic was meant to be a sequel to "Gone." Instead I just continued the fic.

Summary: Yoh is dead and has left his wife and son behind to deal with something out of the ordinary. Asakura Hao isn't really dead, but has only appeared to young Hao to confront him about the powers that an Asakura wields and leaves the young man confused.

Chapter 5 – Return of….

The clouds in the sky continued to play games as the skies darkened and faint moments of light cascaded in through the windows as the clouds continued its ominous dance across the sky. Hao glanced at his mother, but she had once again withdrawn into herself. His hand closed in a fist. The anger was returning in full. He didn't understand why his father had to leave them like that and for things to turn out as they had.

Hao, his uncle, the brother of Yoh, his father, was still alive. After all this time, it was something that none of them would have ever dreamed possible, but it was true. Hao wanted so desperately to tell his father that it was okay, but there were so many other things that he had on his mind right now that he would have loved the opportunity to tell his father. Especially tell him off for leaving his mother, Anna behind to suffer due to the mere fact that he was no longer in this world anymore.

The ground began to shake, splitting the Earth into two. A large almost human like closed hand came out from the ground, but it was too big to belong to any mere human. The hand was closed in a fist and as commanded on queue, the fingers slowly lifted, one by one, to reveal a spirit that resided in the palm of its hand, Anna's eye instantly widened in shock at what she was seeing.

"It couldn't be.." Anna breathed the words, but left the sentence unsaid as young Hao glanced at his mother and than toward the spirits that had appeared before them.

"Who is it?" The hand begun to shift, lowering the spirit onto the ground. The hand began to withdraw into the ground again and disappear within the Earth's confinements. A gruff voice could be heard, almost a whisper in the breeze.

"Save… mama..." Its voice carried on the breeze. The ground closed up and the hand disappeared, but the nekomata continued to stand there looking at the two of them.

"I've come to help." Though his lips didn't move, they could hear what he was saying. He was speaking to them inside of their heads. "I've been sent by Yoh-san."

"Matamune." The word escaped so easily from Anna's lips and Hao understood.

A/N: I had written this as a sequel and have been playing with the idea for some time now at the insistence of many others that have read "Gone". I decided to just continue the fic and see just how it progresses. This is for all of the readers that have waited all this time for this fic to continue. Well, that time has come. Mwahahaha! So be prepared… because you just might be shocked on what happens in the future.


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